Li Hongzhi
September 4–5, 1998, Geneva

Good day to you!

Among those seated here, there are people who just rushed here from the Singapore Fa conference, people who rushed here from other countries and regions, and new students. The main purpose of our holding a Fa conference is for everyone to draw upon each other’s experiences to discover their own shortcomings so that they might improve together in cultivation. At the same time, this event itself is an occasion for spreading the Fa.[1] Everything we wish to do is for enabling us to cultivate and improve—it’s by no means about formalities. So any time in the future when we hold a Fa conference, we have to adhere to this principle so as to truly help our students make progress. We have to ensure that before we can hold such conferences. Too many experience-sharing conferences too often will easily bring about a kind of competition, where you run one way, I do it another, etc., while everybody holds tight to the human mindset. That won’t do. All of us have to proceed from the Fa and hold conferences like this entirely for students’ cultivation.

Quite a few of you in the audience are veteran students. I’m really happy to see all of you. You are really improving yourselves by leaps and bounds on the path of cultivation. You can’t see the changes in yourselves as of yet, but the changes are tremendous. You’ll be able to confirm and see it in the not-too-distant future. So I’m really pleased.

During this period in which you cultivate, by listening to the Fa that I teach at Fa conferences and continually studying Zhuan Falun in depth, you can see many different manifestations of the truth, and you have gained a different and deeper understanding of the Fa. Along with this, I’d like to discuss further with you the process of your cultivation and the concept of another type of cosmic structure. I’ll first talk about another type of cosmic structure. There’s something here I’ve got to explain first: The cosmos was actually constructed by the Fa. So the purpose of my talking about the cosmos definitely isn’t to propel contemporary science to some higher realm, and it’s not told to you as some kind of knowledge. It’s to allow you to cultivate. That’s because it goes hand-in-hand with the Fa. The goal is to have you reach different realms through cultivation. That is, you are to return to the places in different realms where you were created, to return to different levels and realms of the cosmos. This Fa is as immense as the cosmos is large, and that’s still a concept unknown to your mind. Today I’ll speak from another angle and see whether your thinking can keep up.

I’ll first talk about the cosmos. To talk about the cosmos is, to put it another way, to actually discuss matter or the understanding of matter. Regardless of how advanced modern science is, its understanding of matter is still extremely shallow. It’s just not even worth mentioning when compared with the entire cosmos—they can’t be compared. You know that I’ve said that the cosmos is composed of elementary particles. And what are the elementary particles composed of, then? It has to be explained in a specific way. In the concept of different layers of cosmic bodies (not the different layers of universes), how large are the cosmic bodies? The expanse of just one cosmic body alone is extremely large. Yet it’s not like there is regularity whereby one cosmic body consists of some average number of layers of universes. Some consist of upwards of ten thousand layers of universes. And there are ones that consist of upwards of 100 million layers of universes. This concept is extremely vast. So every cosmic body is an unimaginably vast cosmic expanse.

When people talk about the concept of the universe, they are basically talking within the expanse of the number of galaxies that people can recognize. The expanse that modern science can observe is just the small universe that people talk about. Let me take Earth as a standpoint. Starting from this small universe, three thousand small universes of our size constitute the second-layer universe. Then, three thousand universes each as large as the second-layer universe constitute the third-layer universe. Think about it, everyone: The magnification is quite large. Nevertheless, this is to talk about an expansion from one standpoint. But there’s not just one particle the size of Earth in this universe. Particles roughly the size of our Earth are spread throughout the universe, and they’re countless. I just spoke of the universes’ magnification from the standpoint of a single particle. In fact, particles of that size are spread throughout the entire cosmos. They are in anything and everything. They all have that kind of expansion system, spanning from large to small, from small to large. To mankind, even just this layer of small universes is enormous. The number of planetary particles of different sizes within it is immeasurable. Why? Because although Buddhas, Gods, and Daos at very high levels have insight into everything, no one has thought about counting the specks of dust. A planet within a vast cosmic body is really just like a speck of dust drifting in the cosmos.

So three thousand universes of this size continually multiply and expand the range; they continually multiply and expand the system. At roughly the one-thousandth layer, the boundary of this first cosmic body system is reached. But even that expanse is not the only one: In the vast cosmos it is still a particle, and particles of that level, too, pervade the immense cosmos. Beyond the expanse is a state of complete emptiness. And just how empty? If any substance in this system were to enter it, it would be the same as self-disintegration. That’s because any substance within the range of this system has life, characteristic features, and thought. To enter into a microscopic emptiness of that kind would be as if the particle could no longer sustain thought and life. It would instantly disintegrate. In other words, anything that fell into it would disintegrate. Explaining the concept this way makes it easy for us to understand. Beyond that expanse of emptiness, however, there are actually yet other cosmic bodies of even larger expanses. But all the same, the lives in this realm can’t possibly move a single step toward going there, since factors of an even more microscopic nature exist at more, and even still more, microscopic levels. Over in the even larger expanses, however, the concepts of matter and life are different in that cosmic body—the concept of matter no longer exists. Within the range of cosmic bodies, the number of layers of universes is not the same, but each and every cosmic body is composed of the most microscopic and elementary particles. And all of the elementary particles are formed from the nature of the cosmos, Zhen, Shan, Ren.

The concepts I’m talking about here are really complex. You need to pay attention since human language is truly limited. For instance, the largest particulate matter of a certain cosmic body is, as well, made into a layer of particles of that size from the infinitesimal particles in its own system. It’s called a horizontal particle-composition system. That is, the particles of a substance aren’t only assembled from a vertical microscopic system, but are themselves at the same time also composed of substances—from microscopic to larger and even larger—in a system of their own. In other words, the different-sized particles in every level of that system are themselves systems composed of microscopic substances. And particles of different sizes at each level of that system pervade everything. So its particles of different sizes form horizontal compositional schemes as well. Its most elementary particles and its level of largest particles are quite far apart from each other.

Then what, ultimately, is the most original matter? It’s water. But the water I’m talking about is not the water of our ordinary human society. Nor is it the water of the rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans that exist at different levels. This water is what creates all matter and lives of a cosmic body at a given level. You can call it “original matter”… [actually,] you can only call it original matter. And this kind of water differs from the concept of water that we understand in the dimension of ordinary human beings. To be precise, it should be called “still water,” as it doesn’t move. It’s completely still and motionless. It wouldn’t ripple or splash if you were to toss something into it.

Now that we’re talking about water, let’s first talk about the water of the human world. We can take an example from secular science. As you know, in our society of ordinary people, contemporary scientists say that there are organic and inorganic substances. Those are in fact just understandings limited to this dimension. Matter isn’t only composed of substances of this surface dimension. Usually scientists classify as “organic substances” the things considered in this dimension alive—trees, flowers, grass, plants, animals, and human beings. They’re made of this dimension’s water, in fact. You know that water comprises more than ninety percent of the body. That is, we humans are composed of this dimension’s water. I mentioned before that water can create all things. It’s just that contemporary scientists can’t figure it out. Yet [as you know] the water of this physical dimension can grow vegetables. When a vegetable is squeezed again and again in the hands, eventually nothing will be left but some chlorophyll. And if the chlorophyll is specially treated, nothing but water will remain. In other words, everything of this dimension that people consider to be organic substances actually originate from the water of this dimension. That means that water forms and creates everything.

So let me tell you: So-called inorganic substances are in fact created by water of a higher level. But modern science can’t recognize this, and so it thinks that those substances aren’t alive. But they are in fact alive. Their form of existence is quite different from what modern science can recognize. People will never recognize their form if modern science continues to evolve with its current concepts. There was a saying in Chinese cultivation circles of ancient times: “Immortals are so powerful they can toss a rock into a wok and extract water from it.” It sounds like a joke, but in reality it’s no joke. Throughout the entire expanse of this cosmic body that this universe belongs to, the most fundamental origin of any object is water. What’s the more microscopic water like? And what’s the even more microscopic water like? It’s inconceivable, unimaginable. So I’ve said that it can only remain an idea to you.

What I just said was that particles of different levels all have one most fundamental, most original element. But those particles as a whole have both vertical and horizontal arrangements. It’s just like starting from the Earth we’re on: Such and such a number of galaxies constitute one universe, and then such and such a number of universes compose a universe of a larger expanse. We take Earth as a starting point because we human beings are here, and I’m here teaching the Fa. So I take Earth as a starting point. But Earth isn’t the starting point for all substances in this universe. We think that all of the substances we see around us are the most material ones. When I taught the Fa in the past, in order not to confuse everyone, I said that they were the lowest-level substances. But in reality, they can’t be regarded as the only kind of material substances. You could call them “elementary matter.” We can use other terms to refer to them. There is still super-matter, super super-matter, even more super super-matter…

Earth occupies the central position in the dimensions of these Three Realms. It’s in the center vertically, horizontally, and in terms of granular size. Then there also exist substances whose masses are even larger than our Earth. It’s not the kind of mass I’ve discussed before, whereby atoms or atomic nuclei form things of great mass, it’s not that concept. Those are all substances that humankind can recognize. What I’m talking about is super-matter, something that’s not a substance of the human dimension whatsoever. It surpasses the substances of this dimension in terms of its particles and its surface compositional state. So the base point of the largest super-matter is the edge of the Three Realms, and likewise, the base point of the smallest matter is at the edge of the Three Realms. The human dimension, or the base point of matter that humankind knows, lies between the large and small substances. If you were to call everything of this human dimension “matter,” then the things in the Three Realms that are smaller than substances of the human world could only be said to be non-matter, and those even smaller substances would be called non-non-matter, and so on until the smallest particles in the Three Realms were reached. That’s what I meant when I said before that the concept of large and small in the universe isn’t like what ordinary people understand.

And the cosmos as a whole is the same. All particles are alive—they have life. So think about it, everyone: The universe is alive, too, no matter how large its expanse. But within the boundary of a cosmic body, there are numerous, countless particles of different sizes, each existing as an individual living entity. How many layers of heavens are there in this cosmos? How many layers of universes does it have? How many layers of cosmic bodies are there? No being inside it can assess how vast and complex the cosmos is. The concept of the cosmic body that I spoke of includes tens of millions of layers of universes, yet it’s still merely a speck of dust in the immense body of the infinite cosmos. It too is a tiny particle. If you could dash off to a very, very far away place and take a look back, you would see that it’s smaller than what a grain of sand looks to a human being. Looking at it from further away, it would seem smaller than a speck of dust. Looking from even further away, you couldn’t see it anymore. Just now I was explaining it over and over, but to put it plainly, the whole cosmos appears to be constructed with particles composed of particles, and particles composed of particles. But actually, to look at it from an even broader perspective, it’s not composed of particles. There is no language for it, and it can’t be told to human beings.

The human way of thinking is always limited. When I said that particles comprise particles, you were led into a simplistic logic, which actually is not appropriate. The complexity of the structure of the cosmos can’t be clearly explained using human language. Moreover, thoughts, time, dimensions, life-forms… everything changes upon leaving our dimension. Especially when the space-times become different, there are great differences among particles. For example, we know that between planets there are distances which are quite far. But did you know that our bodies, wood, air, water, etc., are all composed of molecules, that molecules are also a level of particles, and that this level of particles is right next to planets? That is, molecules are the largest particles that are smaller than planets. Atoms are the largest particles smaller than molecules. When the distance between molecules and atoms is viewed with human concepts, we think that they’re quite close together, almost without distance between them. But if you were to enter into that realm, you would find that dimension to have its own time and state, too, and that it’s an extremely vast and extensive dimension as well. Every level is like that. Positioned between molecules and planets, we feel that the cosmos is huge. But if you were to stand in-between atoms and molecules, you would feel that that cosmic expanse is even larger than this one. In other words, you have to conform to the way of its time and space in order to understand it.

By discussing this issue just now, I was telling everyone that while you see great distances between planets, the distances between molecules—which are close when viewed with our human notions—are in fact really far. Particles can form countless beings, including us human beings, various kinds of animals, various plants, wood, cement, steel and iron, as well as the air in which we live. I’ve mentioned that human beings are actually living in a mound of soil. We’re aware that worms crawl around in soil. But did you know that gods look upon us humans in the same way—that human beings are burrowing around in soil? Why is that? We humans deem soil to be soil, but gods see all molecules—that is, the molecules in the Three Realms—as soil, and as the coarsest and dirtiest substance. They take them to be soil, and they are indeed soil. So think about it, everyone: How do those gods view this universe and the world? The air is composed of molecules, and the whole environment that exists around you is composed of molecules. The water of this dimension is composed of molecules, too, and so is even the air. Gods see molecules as soil, so you are completely buried in soil, and human beings are burrowing around in soil—human beings just live in that kind of environment. By explaining it this way, maybe you can see why in the Western religious tradition Yahweh or Jesus taught that God created man from clay, right?! Actually, in the East it’s said that Nü Wa[2] created human beings from clay. This explanation should make it easier for you to understand. Gods in fact see all particles made of the matter of this dimension as soil dust, or soil. It’s really true.

Just now I said that particles can form everything in a dimension. The cosmic bodies are extensive and flourishing. The more microscopic the particles that compose a world, the more beautiful and glorious the world. Actually, even larger particles can form even larger cosmic expanses or even larger lives. While these planets appear to us human beings to be pretty far from one another, they seem quite close to one another in the eyes of larger beings; it’s much the same way human beings perceive the distances among molecules. Then could what human beings see between planets be part of a being’s body? In other words, could it make up an even larger life?! It’s really the same idea. In the past it was said that there were giants and dwarves. Whether ordinary people say they existed or not doesn’t matter, I’m teaching in terms of principles. It’s just that times have changed. With history’s progression to this stage, it had to conform to the historical and cultural requirements of this time period. So that caused today’s society to become how it is. People no longer believe in what they can’t see or experience. And the more they disbelieve, the less they are allowed to know the truth. That’s because human beings have become foolish. And human beings’ disbelief was actually something arranged. I often say that human beings want to be in charge but they never, ever have been.

As for the matter of human beings wanting to be in charge and desiring democracy, in reality, human beings have never truly been in charge, for it is gods that control the world. For instance, when persons have many blessings in their lives and great talent, it was certainly arranged that way, or that they become high-ranking officials. Those who have minor blessings and those who aren’t all that capable, conversely, definitely can’t become high-ranking officials. The Paris Commune overturned the monarchy. But let me tell you, all of the presidents elected generation after generation in France were emperors before, it’s just that the arrangement has changed. What I mean by that, is that everything is arranged by gods. So the rivalries that have developed between political parties in today’s human society are just the state of affairs amidst which today’s humankind exists. In ancient times—and I think you’ll all believe this point—there was no such thing. Today, humankind is actually a rather warped humankind with a warped society. For now that’s all I’ll say about this topic.

I just mentioned that the different particles of the universe can make up beings of different sizes. Lives exist on every planet. It’s just that they don’t appear in this dimension of human beings, so we human beings can’t comprehend them. Today’s science doesn’t understand this since it’s underdeveloped and can only crawl around within this dimension. Actually, it’s quite easy to see into other dimensions. As long as you have a huge microscopic observation system you can see the form of existence of those objects composed of particles smaller than molecules. Human beings can’t see their true existence because humans have all kinds of obstacles—they have mental obstacles that prevent them from believing. They don’t dare to do it, and they don’t see the point of doing that. But regardless of whether you want to see them or not, they will reveal their true appearances from time to time. Some people just suddenly see them. Under a strange combination of circumstances, substances that are in motion might suddenly reveal themselves. It’s something that happens every now and then. People always explain mirages as a kind of refraction of the atmosphere. That is a self-justifying theory adopted to explain what modern science cannot, it makes no sense. In reality, they are the true manifestations of other dimensions. You can grasp the concept of the universe that I just discussed, right? (Applause)

All matter in the universe is composed of Zhen, Shan, Ren. At different levels Zhen, Shan, Ren has different manifestations and is displayed in different ways. It has created different living environments for the beings of different levels. When it comes to human beings’ level, the manifestation of this Fa is extremely vast and extremely complicated, cultivation ways are abundant, and the truths that people enlighten to are numerous. If one wants to be a good person, the criteria that exist in this dimension are: benevolence, loyalty, propriety, learning, trustworthiness, and so on and so forth. They are all derived from Zhen, Shan, Ren, and are incredibly many. And that’s not all. Elements that constitute women are delicateness and gentleness, while men need to be strong and upright, and so on. Those are all manifestations of the Fa. How material beings appear and how material forms of existence are, those are all manifestations of the Fa. The Fa has created everything.

Next, let me talk about cultivation. In cultivation, why do you have to meet a realm’s criteria in order to go over there? Because there is Fa for that particular level. In that realm there is a required standard for those beings, as well as a standard for the environment of those beings. A karma-laden body that doesn’t conform to that dimension’s environment is unacceptable. A filthy body absolutely cannot enter a dimension that high. So you have to conform to the bodily state of that higher realm—namely, a karma-free state. Not only do you need to be free of karma, but your body’s substances need to be microscopic and fine in that way. That’s something people who don’t truly cultivate cannot attain, even if they wanted to and pursued it—it can only be cultivated. It’s attained by enduring hardship and going through grueling cultivation.

Moreover, the living side of you has to conform to the standards of that realm. Or in other words, your mind, your thoughts, and all of the spiritual properties of your existence have to conform to the standards of that level.

Of course, there’s also a standard for the form of existence of that dimension’s lives. You can’t go there as a human being like this. You have to assume the appearance of the beings in that dimension when you are about to Consummate. The higher the level, the more youthful and beautiful the appearance of those beings. The lower the realm, the less beautiful. As one goes higher, not only is the appearance more beautiful, but also the thoughts have to be more pure and refined. One’s way of existence, speech, demeanor, and movement will all undergo changes. Their speech is like poetry, and that’s just the way of things at one certain level. Higher levels are even more splendid. It definitely wouldn’t work if you didn’t conform to the requirements of that realm. I often say that “cultivation is up to you, gong is up to the master.” In other words, though you want to reach that kind of realm, how could you reach it when you don’t even know about it? How could you do that? You yourself can’t do it. I only look at the heart you have for cultivation. Master will take care of the other side if you’re determined to keep cultivating. What’s critical is whether you can be steadfast and whether you can finish your cultivation.

I haven’t discussed the specific way in which gong is evolved, and I don’t want people to focus on it. Doing it this way keeps attachments from springing up and it spares people from letting their imaginations run wild. As you know, the higher one goes, the more tranquil one’s mind. Yet it’s not right for you to insist on seeking tranquility without raising your xinxing. Some people are bent on seeking tranquility when they do the exercises. They insist on trying to attain tranquility, and it develops into an attachment. But I can say that as low-level cultivation ways see it, it is a method, whereas when viewed from high levels, it’s intention-filled conduct. Why? Tranquility can only be achieved through cultivation and gradually eliminating attachments. If someone wants to will himself into total tranquility and part with all attachments just like that, in general that can’t be done. (Of course, there are special circumstances that we won’t discuss.) Being able to achieve that kind of tranquility means that your mind has become pure to that extent. What I call “special circumstances” refers to cultivation ways that cultivate the assistant soul (fu yuanshen), whereby a person can will himself to be tranquil from the very start. But that’s not our Dafa’s way of cultivating. This is no minor thing.

As I mentioned before, when you speak to others with your own goals in mind, wanting to change or persuade them, no matter how reasonable your words are, other people will have a hard time completely accepting them. Nor can the words move people’s hearts. Why? Let me tell you: It’s actually because the words you say contain all of your thoughts. Your sentences have complicated thoughts included in them, such as your human emotions and desires, and even those many attachments of yours. That makes your words not so powerful and rather diluted. Also, people often look at things from their own viewpoints when they say things to others, and those might not conform to the Fa of the universe. So in this respect they lack the power of Truth. Moreover, when speaking to others, people add things to protect themselves so that they won’t get hurt. In other words, the intention behind your words is no longer pure, then. And as a result your words get really frivolous. But when your mind can truly become tranquil, when your attachments get less and less, or when the distracting thoughts get less and less, then you’ll find that your words have power. Why was it that when I spoke about non-action I mentioned that you shouldn’t interfere with things that shouldn’t be interfered with? That’s because your words already have power, and words with power can change people. It doesn’t matter if your changing someone seems right, you might be doing something wrong. You don’t know the truth since what your eyes see is superficial, and since you can’t perceive karmic[3] reasons from the past. Your mind will become increasingly pure as you reach higher levels. What your thinking brings forth then, and what you say, will be extremely pure. The purer and simpler they are, the more they conform to the principles of that level of the universe. The words you speak then can instantly pierce people’s hearts, strike the depths of people’s thoughts, and strike the more microscopic part of their existences. Now isn’t that going to be powerful?! So if you can become tranquil, that ability signifies that you have reached a certain realm.

In our cultivation we need to meet the requirements of a given realm in order to reach that realm. Otherwise you can’t go there. That’s why in our cultivation human attachments have to be discarded, why karma has to be eliminated, why the requirements of the Fa have to be met, and why I ask you to read the book a lot and understand the Fa well.

I’ve only discussed the topic briefly. This is a Fa conference. You don’t have a lot of opportunities to meet me, and you’ve had lots of questions brewing which you have wanted a chance to ask me. So I will use the time that’s left to answer your questions. But there is one thing you should pay attention to: Some people (of course, they are all new students) have a brash attitude when they ask questions, and don’t show due respect for their master. Of course, it’s not so much that I’m demanding respect for a teacher by upholding old-fashioned formalities, but I am your master after all, and will save you to a high realm. What I’m giving you is something that you can never repay in the eternity of your lives. So I hope your tone will be that of a disciple. All right, you can pass your question slips up.

Question:   After Shakyamuni, Lao Zi, and Jesus, how many people have attained the Tathagata Righteous Attainment through cultivation?

Teacher: All in all there have been a lot. Many people did after Shakyamuni attained the Way; they cultivated successfully in the Buddhist religion. And there were people among Jesus’ later disciples and monks whose cultivation met with success. Of course, in China there are lots of cultivation ways. Since cultivation ways aren’t geographically restricted, in ancient times there were also those in Western society who practiced cultivation, and quite a few of them succeeded. It wasn’t by way of religions that they succeeded. But in recent times there have been few who Consummated. In contemporary society the number is almost zero.

Question: It’s mentioned in Zhuan Falun [(Volume II)] that the moon was constructed by the humankind of a remote age. Could Teacher tell us a little about the reason and purpose back then for constructing it?

Teacher: Everyone here is laughing, because that’s so far from why I teach the Fa. You are seeking knowledge and letting your imagination run wild. And when your imagination runs wild, your thinking becomes less pure and tranquil. But instead of letting go of those things you’re attached to among ordinary people, you’re asking me about them and even mixing them together with the Fa. That’s precisely what I’m worried about with you all. Put your mind to cultivation. Of course, I can answer, since the question has been raised.

In the past, the situation never resembled that of today’s science. So the mankinds of different time periods were of course developing in the ways of those times. People at one time recognized the trouble that the dark of night caused people, so they constructed a moon up there to bring light to Earth during the night. That has nothing to do with cultivation. It’s not that I’m unwilling to tell you about it. It’s that whatever I say will materialize something, as the things I say become Fa. So don’t ask me to casually talk about human interest things.

Question: Is the speed of one’s intention faster than the speed of light?

Teacher: That’s for sure. The speed of human thoughts is quite fast. As your level rises you will penetrate every dimension in the levels below you. Listen carefully to what I’m saying: As your level gets higher, when your gong penetrates any of the dimensions in the levels below you, it isn’t subject to the time restraints of those dimensions. Gong is directed by intention. Since you live in this environment, your walking speed, the speed of your car, and so on, every single thing is limited by the time of this dimension. The intention that people emanate is rapid in this human dimension. If a person is a cultivator, he transcends the restrictions of this dimension and his intention is extremely fast. Meanwhile, we’ve said that a person’s gong and all of the abilities carried in his body are controlled by his thoughts. So that means, when his intention arises, his gong arrives—that’s how powerful he is. I’ve said that if the abilities of those of you who have cultivated to very high realms were not locked up for you, you might really turn the Heaven and Earth upside down in just an instant. So before a person has reached complete Enlightenment, he is absolutely prohibited from being unrestricted while he cultivates on the earth, it’s absolutely prohibited. It is all right for those people with minor abilities, since this dimension is watched over by the gods of this dimension, and those gods can control all of this so that a person can’t topple Heaven or overturn Earth. But if a person’s abilities are greater it won’t be allowed. Master also has to watch over this.

Question: In this universe of ours, what type of matter has the greatest speed?

Teacher: You’re asking about science. To tell you would be to satisfy your pursuing mind, and that’d be the same as expanding your attachment. Yet if I don’t tell you, well, you’ve raised the question.

In regards to the speed in this dimension that people nowadays know of, it has even greater energy that people haven’t discovered and can’t utilize. The ideas of what’s the largest and smallest all come from the perspective of human understanding; they are understandings within the range of the human dimension and time field. Size, as conceptualized by humans, doesn’t exist in this universe. So in the universe, what is fast—as referred to by you—depends on the level. For example, the rate at which a very high-level god speaks is still faster than the speed of your mind—even when that god is speaking very, very slowly. The words I’m saying here and what I just said about your being attached have just taken place, but in a specific dimension they actually occurred hundreds of years ago. That’s how big the difference is. The universe is just incredibly vast. The differences in time fields have formed the universe’s complicated dimensions.

Actually, not being subject to the restrictions of time, that’s what is most rapid. But human beings will never really understand the real meaning of that sentence. Your idea, “what type of matter has the greatest speed,” is a human notion and a human understanding. Time is not absolute, even in this present dimension of ours. As you know, I mentioned in Zhuan Falun that a certain star is seen to be 150 thousand light years away from us. But in fact, I was only discussing it by using what human beings can understand with contemporary science. That’s not really how it is. Then how is it? Let’s think about it: There exist different times in different dimensions. Within the expanse of our Earth there is a time field, and everything is confined within the boundaries of that time. As soon as a man-made satellite goes beyond our atmosphere it is in another time field, which is definitely not the same as Earth’s. So there are also the time fields of other planets when it passes by those planets. The larger the cosmic body, the greater the time and speed differences within it.

It’s said that it takes 150 thousand light years for us to see the things that occur in the Milky Way system. Actually, let me tell you that perhaps you can see them in just two or three years. Why? Because the speed of light, too, is subject to the restrictions of time fields. When light penetrates through different time fields, its speed, “shwa—, shwa—, shwa—,” suddenly becomes fast or slow. When it gets here to our Earth, it then conforms to Earth’s time field and becomes extremely slow. There is simply no way to assess the time in the universe using this time field that Earth’s inhabitants can comprehend. Humankind’s understanding of truth, of matter, life, the universe, and many things, including the development of human beings, is wrong.

Question:   How do the great enlightened beings of the Buddha system explain the light of this universe?

Teacher: What’s so great about just seeing light?! There are many kinds of light, and they’re different at different levels. And how, as well as for what purpose, light is emitted is different. Don’t use human thoughts to think about things that are higher than man. I’d say that if you want to cultivate, you need to read the book more and study the Fa a lot. What you can’t enlighten to and what you don’t know will, in the future, all be visible in the Fa. Think about it: I’ve said that every object has energy—even molecules have energy. People can’t sense that molecules have energy because man himself is composed of molecules. That’s why people can’t sense it. Things that have energy have light and power. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill or inflate the significance of every little thing. When Dafa disciples’ mighty virtue is displayed, now that will be glorious and brilliant.

Question: Can we publish Master’s articles in newspapers in order to spread the Fa? On the other hand, I’m concerned that people might misinterpret the meaning of the articles.

Teacher: They will, they all will. So it’s best not to do that. Why? Let me tell you: Our best method for spreading the Fa is for everybody to do the exercises in groups. We’re only saying that we don’t want to leave out people who have a predestined relationship. When I talk about spreading the Fa, I’m not asking the entire humankind to come obtain the Fa—that’s not the idea at all. I’m talking about getting people with a predestined relationship to come obtain the Fa. Today I might as well tell everyone clearly: The Fa-spreading method we’ve adopted all along is that you do the exercises outdoors. Another one is to have our Dafa books for sale in public bookstores. My Law Bodies will direct people with a predestined relationship to buy the book, and as soon as they read it they will come and learn. Also, we’re doing the exercises outdoors, so the Law Bodies will arrange for them to find the practice sites and obtain the Fa. Through a strange combination of circumstances they will be led over here to do the exercises, or they will find our students. That’s how we’ve arranged it.

You want more people to know about it and you’ve used many, many methods. It’s the students’ good intention, I can see that. And you’ve done well. But all of it is self-initiated, individual action, so I don’t approve or disapprove. In the Fa, however, the Fa-spreading methods that I’ve left behind for Dafa are these: We do the exercises outside in groups, hold Fa conferences, and have books for sale in bookstores. People with a predestined relationship will go buy the book, and they’ll want to cultivate after they read it. And then they will find us of their own initiative and learn. That’s how it is. Of course, sometimes students will, as a personal act, put announcements in newspapers to inform other people about it. That too can allow a lot of people to obtain the Fa. I don’t disapprove of that approach, for it can help the predestined ones become aware of it. I’m just saying that the best forms I leave for you for spreading the Fa are group exercises and Fa conferences.

Question: I’ve made spreading the Fa an integral part of my cultivation, but Master has said that spreading the Fa has nothing to do with reaching Consummation.

Teacher: Spreading the Fa and reaching Consummation are of course two different terms and concepts. But there’s one point to be made: For those who work to spread the Fa, if you treat it as a job and, although you often work hard and make a great effort to do it, if you normally don’t read the book much and you don’t have time to do the exercises, this kind of work will inevitably depart from the Fa. In other words, you won’t have integrated your cultivation with your work. You’re really attached when doing the work, and you don’t think about whether the troubles you encounter are related to your xinxing or whether the way you do things conforms to the Fa or to the standards of a cultivator. If you don’t look inside yourself in this manner, if you don’t look at it this way, then your work is just the work of ordinary humans, and you’re just an ordinary person doing work for Dafa. At the very least, you haven’t conducted yourself according to the standards of a cultivator. Cultivation needs to be integrated with our work. When you run into any challenge in your work, you should always check your own xinxing and be able to examine yourself. When you come across troubles, look at yourself and think: “Why are things happening like this? Have I done something wrong? Is there a problem with my intention? Or is it because of something else?” That is, you should demand of yourself and evaluate yourself with a cultivator’s standard at all times. You are truly cultivating when you treat yourself as a cultivator and don’t let up with any bit of your thoughts. Then won’t your work be integrated with the Fa? As for Consummation, that depends on the extent of your cultivation and whether it reaches that stage. Even though a person might cultivate every day, whether he’ll Consummate depends on whether he can reach the level of Consummation.

Question:   I read Zhuan Falun every day, but with respect to some parts of it, such as “The Subject of Sorcery,” “Bigu,” “Fasting,” “Stealing Qi,” and “Gathering Qi,” I think it’s enough to just have a general understanding.

Teacher: I’ll tell you, although I used those things as examples, what I talked about wasn’t limited to that. What I talk about are principles of the Fa! The meanings behind them are countless, boundless, endless. However large this cosmos is, the Fa is no less. I’m just using human beings’ most mundane deeds, the plainest language, and the lowest forms—those of human beings—to teach this Fa. The point is to allow you to understand and enlighten to its boundless and endless inner meanings. So make sure you don’t read it selectively. You must read the Fa from start to finish with nothing left out. Pay attention to this. Its continuity is highly beneficial for your cultivation. The Fa has continuity, so you can’t read it selectively like that.

Question: Is everything in a practitioner’s environment conjured by Master?

Teacher: The surrounding environment isn’t conjured. Everything that occurs around you during the course of your cultivation is a result of prenatal karmic reasons, namely, it’s your karmic retribution as well as rewards for your past good deeds. Everything is a result of your goodness or badness. I utilize them to allow you to cultivate. They aren’t something I conjured. When you go through some ordeal it’s true you are paying for karma, for sure. What a lot of students see in dreams or while they do the tranquil exercises isn’t entirely conjured, either. Much of it is reality being displayed, only you don’t see it too clearly.

Question: Master, could you please disclose a few things about your cultivation to those disciples who will Consummate?

Teacher: You will know things after you Consummate. I intended to share with you my background. Given the present circumstances, though, it looks like that’s becoming less possible. And why is this? It’s because, in the future people won’t be allowed to know of my existence. So I don’t want to leave my story behind for people. As for you, once you Consummate you will know. At that point, words won’t be enough to describe the greatness of your master! (Applause)

I’ve given my utmost concern not just to you, but to all lives. I have almost depleted everything of mine for all lives. Of course, that kind of depletion isn’t what you understand, where there is nothing left. I’ve often said that I have incorporated into this Fa everything that can allow you to cultivate and advance, and everything that you can attain through cultivation. Although you are in different realms, none of you can truly understand the weight of my words. You will obtain everything so long as you cultivate. But do you know how many things of mine are incorporated into what you obtain? (Applause) Of course, I don’t want to talk about these things that concern me. I just want to tell you that you should cherish this undertaking that your Master is carrying out! You have to do well in cultivation. Don’t miss this chance.

Question: When can we get Dafa translated by Westerners?

Teacher: Zhuan Falun will be available soon. The French version will soon be sent to the publisher for printing and the English version is already available. The German version is in bookstores now; apparently a lot of bookstores have it. As for versions in other languages, the Italian and Spanish ones are apparently being translated, and the Russian one is available. That’s the case for the Western languages. And there are people translating it into still other languages. Personally, I’m really concerned about this matter. Often the reason is that conditions aren’t yet ripe in many regards. And there’s interference from different sources that you’re not aware of. So it’s been dragging on.

Question: Since xinxing cultivation is most important, why does Master still mention cultivation levels and divine powers in the book?

Teacher: A lot of questions are being raised by new students. At least read the book before you ask! Cultivation and a Buddha’s abilities are inseparable. So I only speak of those things in a general sense in terms of underlying truths and principles of Fa, and this allows you to comprehend. I give one example to allow cultivators to understand the rest—that’s the reason. It’s not that I ask you to not pursue those things but I go and tell you about them. Those things can’t be separated from Buddha Fa cultivation. What you pursue and the truths of the Fa that you should understand are two entirely different things; divine powers are a manifestation of another aspect of Buddha Fa. Your inability to see the extraordinariness of Buddha Fa’s divine powers results from your reading the book with a human mindset. You’re just reading those things that you like. You don’t read, and even reject, what your human thinking fails to grasp. That’s precisely why you can’t make progress.

Question: Why is homosexuality considered immoral?

Teacher: Think about it, everyone: Is homosexuality human behavior? Heaven created man and woman. What was the purpose? To procreate future generations. A man being with a man, or a woman with a woman—it doesn’t take much thought to know whether that’s right or wrong. When minor things are done incorrectly, a person is said to be wrong. When major things are done incorrectly, it’s a case of people no longer having the moral code of human beings, and then they are unworthy of being human.

Let me tell you why today’s society has become how it is. It results from there not being an upright Fa to keep human beings in check. This Dafa is taught right in the most chaotic environment, at a time when no religion can save people, and where the circumstance is that no god takes interest in people anymore. The Fa is almighty. The best time periods wouldn’t require such a great Fa to be taught. Only in the worst time periods can the power of the Fa manifest. There are other reasons, too.

Question: Why is it that homosexuals are considered bad people?

Teacher: Let me tell you, if I weren’t teaching this Fa today, gods’ first target of annihilation would be homosexuals. It’s not me who would destroy them, but gods. You know that homosexuals have found legitimacy in that homosexuality was around back in the culture of ancient Greece. Yes, there was a similar phenomenon in ancient Greek culture. And do you know why ancient Greek culture is no more? Why are the ancient Greeks gone? Because they had degenerated to that extent, and so they were destroyed.

When gods created man they prescribed standards for human behavior and living. When human beings overstep those boundaries, they are no longer called human beings, though they still assume the outer appearance of a human. So gods can’t tolerate their existence and will destroy them. Do you know why wars, epidemics, and natural and man-made disasters happen in this world? They’re precisely because human beings have karma, and those events exist to remove it. No matter how wonderful a time period may be in the future, there will still be wars, epidemics, and natural and man-made disasters on earth. They are a way of eliminating karma for people. Some people who have sinned can have their karma eliminated through the death of the flesh body and suffering, and then they’ll be free of that karma when they reincarnate. Their lives don’t really die and they reincarnate again. But the karma that some people have accrued is too much, in which case the fundamental elements of their existence will be implicated and destroyed. Homosexuals not only violate the standards that gods set for mankind, but also damage human society’s moral code. In particular, the impression it gives children will turn future societies into something demonic. That’s the issue. That kind of destruction, however, isn’t just about disappearing after they’re annihilated. That person is annihilated layer after layer at a rate that seems pretty rapid to us, but in fact it’s extremely slow in that time field. Over and over again, one is annihilated in an extremely painful way. It’s terribly frightening. A person should live in an upright manner, living honorably like a human being. He shouldn’t indulge his demon-nature and do whatever he likes.

Question: I want to achieve a Righteous Attainment. My goal is set at Arhat Status. I haven’t taken the initiative to help those who have no karmic connection to me, and this includes spreading the Fa. Have I done wrong?

Teacher: You have. That’s your human thinking at the surface. Do you know that I have arranged good things for where each one of you should cultivate to, the extent of your ability to endure, the amount of your virtue, and the level of your material foundation? You want to arrange for yourself the path of cultivation, but that can’t hold, nor would anybody recognize it. Why do you want to settle yourself at the Arhat level? It’s because for now you can only understand the Fa to this extent. You have many attachments that you’re unwilling to let go of. It can only be said that you’re thinking that way because that’s how much you comprehend the Fa. In the future, when you’ve understood the Fa at a higher level—when you’ve increased the number of times you have read Dafa’s books—you will definitely change how you think. You will feel that you shouldn’t have asked that question, and at that point you’ll feel embarrassed. Right now I can only tell you that it represents where you’re at right now, so I don’t blame you, but your conduct isn’t right. If you relax the demands on yourself, the attachments you’re unwilling to break will make it hard for you to progress diligently.

Question: I was quite involved and diligent when I first took up this cultivation way. But not long ago, I suddenly had doubts about Dafa. I’ve repeatedly made mistakes and haven’t been able to pass the tests. Is this thought-karma or demonic interference?

Teacher: Why do I ask you to return to your origin and true self? What’s the purpose of returning to your true self? It’s to return to what your true self is. Human beings have many attachments, all kinds of notions, and a range of emotions and desires. All these thoughts are in your head, yet none of them are you. I’ve said that this door is wide open and that only your heart matters. It’s just up to a person’s heart whether he can cultivate, and whether he can still have the thought and intention of returning to his origin and true self. So I’m telling you that everything that interferes with your thinking might not be you. As for some people who can’t forgo their self-interest while it is at stake among everyday people, or those who can’t tell which thoughts are theirs and which aren’t, and who even think that those bad thoughts are theirs, we definitely won’t keep looking after them. Why? Because those people have taken those bad thoughts to be themselves, and yet these things of ours are not to be given to those bad thoughts.

Question: In Zhuan Falun, it’s mentioned that great enlightened beings constructed the universe based on their own characteristics.

Teacher: Let me tell you, a lot of people have read [and wondered about] this section. It refers to things that happened in the universes of multiple realms in the vast cosmos that encompasses all universes. The cosmos is simply vast. What I was discussing wasn’t about the entire cosmos. Great enlightened beings at different levels of the cosmos enlighten to the different truths of the cosmos’s Dafa, and even what great enlightened beings of the same level enlighten to is different. When some universes of different sizes within the vast cosmos start showing signs of degeneration, great enlightened beings who have enlightened to a high level and to righteous laws will construct a new universe at that level. This doesn’t refer to the greater, tremendously vast cosmos that encompasses countless layers of universes.

Question: In the article “Dialogue with Time,” a god is mentioned. How should we understand the concept of a god and how it differs from a Buddha or Dao? What relation does it have to the primeval gods?

Teacher: All those in the cosmos who have abilities surpassing those of ordinary human beings are gods. The microscopic, yet immense beings that permeate the air are countless and formless gods, that’s the idea. Gods are in a variety of realms and are of varied kinds. Aren’t Buddhas gods? Aren’t Daos gods? Collectively they are known as gods. It’s only that they each have their own cultivation features and appearance. Plus they’ve formed their own unique things. So one is called a Dao, one is called a Buddha, and the other is called a God. Everything in the universe has thought and life. Could you say they aren’t gods? The time in any dimension strictly delimits the changes that occur in all substances of that dimension. Could you say time isn’t a god? It knows the thoughts of all lives within the range of its control. If it wants to speak, it can speak; if it wants to assume a human form, it can do that. Wouldn’t you say it’s a god? Human beings think that time is just a concept. The sun rises and sets, people mark off some points and put some numbers on a clock—and that’s supposed to be time. That, along with the rising and setting of the sun, is how time is expressed in the society of ordinary people. But I can tell you, even the rising and setting of the sun and Earth’s orbiting around the sun are delimited and arranged—without deviation—by this dimension’s time.

Question: I’m determined to achieve Consummation. Once Teacher stops teaching the Fa, will I still be protected by Teacher’s Law Bodies?

Teacher: I’ve actually stopped teaching the Fa. The period of my systematically teaching the Fa has passed. Now I’m just here to participate in the Fa conference and answer some questions for you while I’m here. The assistance center coordinators always want me to talk about more profound things and tell you a little more. My teaching the Fa was most important before. Today, it’s your cultivation and improvement that are most important. How could there be no Law Bodies looking after you? When my Law Bodies no longer look after you, you will have reached Consummation.

Question: Some new students who have just obtained the Fa really want to hear and watch the audio and videotapes of Teacher’s Fa-speeches in North America prior to 1998. Would that be okay?

Teacher: There is now a book of my Fa-speeches from when I first went to the United States. Reading the book will benefit your understanding of Fa a lot. The videos, on the other hand, might not have any direct relevance to you since at that time I was speaking to the specific situations of the students in the audience. The books, by contrast, are suitable for a general audience, since they’ve been reorganized. Moreover, you might have seen from the videos something very peculiar when I give talks on Fa. As I speak, speak, speak, suddenly I switch topics and start talking about something else. Maybe you’ve all sensed it. Why do I do that? Because as I went on, I found that the students had grasped it while I was talking. They understood it before I even finished speaking. So, well, I stopped discussing it and went on to another thing. Since that happens frequently in my videos, in regards to a lot of things, watching the videos might not necessarily be better for you than reading the book. Reading the book would be better for you, that’s what I mean. Coexistence of both a book and video results in interference. So as soon as books of the Fa-speeches in different regions are published, all of the recordings and videos need to be erased, and that’s to protect Dafa. What a person can’t let go of is human emotion.

Question: My wife and I both practice Dafa. A few months ago, one after another, the two of us each dreamed of an extremely beautiful large bird. The bird disappeared after it entered my body, whereas my wife heard birdcalls. What did it signify?

Teacher: It’s just a bird. In your reincarnations lifetime after lifetime, even a god who comes down from a very high level can reincarnate as a human being in one lifetime and as an animal in another. That’s how it is in the human world. The first thing you see at the beginning stage of your cultivation is probably your original form or an image of the earliest place you ever were. It could be in the form of a human, an animal, or this or that. Birds in the heavens are deities, too.

Question: Can cultivators take nutritional supplements?

Teacher: You haven’t read the book, you simply have not read the book. Think about it, everyone: A cultivator’s body couldn’t develop gong if it were sick. That is, your impure body wouldn’t be suitable for cultivation. When you cultivate your body needs to be cleansed to the point of absolute purity, and only then can it start to develop gong. So I’ve said that we don’t do healing. But I will cleanse true cultivators’ bodies, and that kind of body is free of illness. We intend to attain the kind of body found in a Buddha’s realm. Can you attain that by taking nutritional supplements? Definitely not. So why take them? It’s not like that stuff is something delicious and worth sampling for its delicate flavor. We make your body purer and purer during the course of cultivation so as to have it gradually reach the most natural and optimum condition. That’s something taking medicine can’t achieve. Aren’t you still doubtful about cultivation if you take medicine or ingest supplements? You simply are not seeing yourself as a cultivator. Isn’t that the reason? If you don’t see yourself as a cultivator, how could we? Makes sense, right? Whether it be Chinese herbal medicine or Western medicine, it’s medicine all the same, for sure. Your goal is simply to have a healthy body, but our cultivation achieves something well beyond that. I’ve described how these things work. So how do you think it should be handled?

Question: We are disciples who’ve come from China. There are five other people who couldn’t make it for various reasons. Was the demonic interference too strong or was it arranged by Master that they couldn’t come?

Teacher: I didn’t want to let even the five of you come. Why? As I just said, before my teaching the Fa was most important, while today your cultivation and improvement are most important. Put your mind entirely on cultivation and cultivate steadily and solidly—that’s what is key. With the heart unsteady, wanting to find me, wishing to listen to my talks on Fa, chasing me everywhere… that doesn’t benefit your cultivation at all, not in the least. When the Fa conference was to be held in Singapore, a lot of people from China wanted to go. Then I said to the Main Dafa Association, “You need to pass this along: Tell the assistance centers of each region to notify students that they shouldn’t go traveling all around, as it’s of no benefit.” Originally, Law Bodies ordered the steps of your cultivation for this time period. But you have disrupted it. Some of your attachments could very possibly have been discarded in this time that was allotted for you to cultivate, but what should have been improved has been, in a certain respect, disrupted. That’s the reason. Don’t regard as demonic interference all your attachments to insisting on doing things you can’t do.

Question: My husband has never done the exercises, although he has read Zhuan Falun once and watched videos of Master’s Fa speeches. But his Third Eye has opened and he can even do Remote Viewing.

Teacher: That’s because of his predestination. His spiritual foundation might be quite good, which caused his Third Eye to open as soon as he read the book. As for whether he studies it or whether he cultivates, everyone in this complicated society has become extremely complex. Before each of you here in the audience came to the human world, sometime in the past the seeds for you to obtain the Fa today were sown in the depths of your heart and soul. I have looked for and found you many times in human society and conferred markings on you. All of these things play a strong role, yet none of them can lessen your human attachments. And none of them can make you feel the way you did back when you encountered the Fa: “Oh, I’ve waited so many years. I’ve come just to obtain it.” A lot of people no longer have that feeling, and it results in their cultivating on and off and not being diligent. Some people who are predestined and have obtained the Fa still can’t discard their attachments. There are all kinds of scenarios. Once the predestination ends, it’s over.

Question: Master, when you talked about the srivatsa[4] symbol, you said, “A Buddha whose level is twice as high as a Tathagata has two srivatsa symbols.” Were you referring to the height of a person’s gong column being twice as high as a Tathagata’s?

Teacher: I was referring to a person’s xinxing and mighty virtue. Gong is just a manifestation of that. It’s fine to understand it as a person’s gong column, too. But it will have to be the gong column after a person Consummates. That is to say, the height of the gong column after Consummation has to be double that of a Tathagata’s. The gong column developed in the cultivation process doesn’t count. That’s because it’s not yet finalized, for other parts of you haven’t yet Consummated. So it’s just a form of energy’s existence. Yet from a certain vantage point it does represent your level and xinxing while cultivating.

Question: During the Singapore Fa conference, when the disciples applauded, Master usually used both hands in the Heshi position as a gesture of acknowledgment. But when giving Fa speeches before, you mostly used a single hand to acknowledge. What deeper meaning is there in this?

Teacher: I use a single hand toward my disciples. But there’s one thing: When I see everyone’s pure hearts and that they’re advancing diligently and continually, I’m really happy, and then I like to use both hands. Under normal circumstances a Master uses a single hand toward his disciples.

Question: I’ve heard that when a person can recite Zhuan Falun, he can forever carry Dafa with his main soul (zhu yuanshen), regardless of whether he Consummates.

Teacher: Who’d be willing to just remember the Fa but not Consummate? Why do you memorize the book? Isn’t it for reaching Consummation? Memorizing Zhuan Falun helps you improve, since both the microscopic part of your body and the human part at the outermost surface are memorizing it together. But no matter how you memorize it—and this goes even for people who’ve memorized it very well—at a certain time you will suddenly find that you can’t recite it. Why? It’s that the main part of you, the part that memorized it, separates from you after it has met the standard. You suddenly feel like, “Oh, how come I can’t recite it anymore?” That’s because the part that is up to par has been separated, and the human surface can no longer recite the whole thing, for it has forgotten it. Some forget a lot, some forget less. This kind of situation does occur.

Many of you have experienced a situation where periodically you hear well or periodically your Third Eye sees things clearly. When can a person see clearly or see the best? It’s when he is cultivating really well in a given stage, while the separation hasn’t occurred and he’s just about to meet the standard. He can see clearly, hear sharply with his ears, and his body is sensitive. Once the separation takes place he finds that he’s lost that state, and he’ll think, “Is it because I’ve dropped down? How come things aren’t as good?” It’s not that you have dropped down. It’s that the part of you that has finished cultivation has been separated, and what’s left is the part that hasn’t yet finished cultivation and that should keep being cultivated. So you’ll be sensitive from time to time. That’s how it is. This only happens when practicing Dafa.

Question: Is it that as you cultivate to higher levels, you sleep less?

Teacher: That’s not the case. It’s related to the changes and elevation of the particles intrinsic to your thoughts. But it does happen periodically. The matter I just talked about also involves this factor. At the surface you will return to the normal state when the well-cultivated part of you is separated from you. That’s what you will experience all the way until you Consummate. All of this allows you to live like regular people. Yet your human side will become weaker and weaker. And if you hold yourself to high standards, perhaps you will conduct yourself among ordinary people better and better. That’s the way it is.

Question: Time is pressing, but I still can’t sit in the full-lotus position. How can I do better?

Teacher: Don’t be anxious. Nobody is saying time isn’t adequate. I have never said anything like there isn’t enough time. I ask that you hurry up cultivating, and you should just focus on practicing. But that said, you should know that you need to have strict requirements for yourself—that’s what I mean. Anyway, those who absolutely can’t fold their legs into position are very, very rare. There are some whose souls (yuanshen) in the heavens don’t assume a human being’s appearance but that of other gods, who don’t fold their legs in the lotus position. Maybe that factor is involved. But since you have a human body, a flesh body today, I believe all of you can fold your legs into position, except for the extremely unique ones. I’ll put it in a lighthearted way. Of those seated here, many people really have cultivated quite well. Those Bodhisattvas in the heavens are covering their mouths and laughing at those of you who can’t put your legs up, saying “Look at that those cultivators who still can’t put their legs up.”

Question: Could Master please talk about the concept of attachments?

Teacher: What’s the reason people can’t see the truth of the universe? Why is this dimension deluding? Let me tell everyone: Among ordinary people, what you see and what you come into contact with in the dimension of ordinary human society, along with the knowledge learned among ordinary people, these all limit you and confine you. When your knowledge of this dimension accumulates, when your understanding of everything in this dimension becomes clearer and clearer, and when you seemingly become more and more aware, you are actually closing yourself off more and more. What you consider the truth in this dimension of ordinary human beings could well be, in reality, wrong or the opposite. So you won’t see the truth of the universe if you don’t let go of those understandings from the society of ordinary people. Especially those things that we as human beings can’t relinquish for purposes of survival, for protecting ourselves, or for benefiting for ourselves more, I call them all attachments. Those attachments are just like a big, sturdy padlock that locks you in. You have to open every padlock as you progress on your path. If you don’t, they will lock you in and delude you, and you won’t see the truth. And, if you fail to open those locks while on the path that returns you to your origin and true self, you won’t be able to continue forward. That’s what a test is. Everything you are attached to is your obstacle. These tests that you come across in cultivation are in fact your own hardships. The point of my utilizing them is to open the locks of your attachments, to allow you to see the truth, and to have your mind elevate.

Question: How should we understand discarding all attachments?

Teacher: It means letting go of the attachments that can’t be released in the ordinary human dimension, because the way you cultivate today is different from all past ways. I knew that many, many people would come to learn it, and a social phenomenon would emerge. Even more people will learn it in the future. Then this social phenomenon that emerges—the masses that cultivate—will have a great influence on society. If everybody were to cultivate with his abilities unlocked and everyone were to go around doing supernormal things, the entire face of society would change. And then instead of resembling a human society it would resemble one of deities. That can’t happen. Since human society is just the way it is, we take advantage of this environment and cultivate in it. Not only do we not disturb this environment, but at the same time we need to conform to it as we cultivate. That’s because you would have no way to cultivate if you didn’t conform to this environment. The approach we’ve adopted today is like that. Now there are over 100 million people practicing Dafa. It wouldn’t work if they all left their homes to become Christian or Buddhist monks. There will be even more people in the future. What would happen to this society? Who would feed you if everyone came to cultivate? It wouldn’t work. So we should conform as much as possible to the society of ordinary people. We’re utilizing this kind of societal form of ordinary humans to cultivate, so we have to conform.

You all need to have a job, an environment, even a family, and plenty of relatives in the society of ordinary people. Every aspect of these things is a reflection of our ability to conform to the conventions of ordinary people’s society. At the same time, they create good opportunities for us to cultivate and they provide us with an environment for cultivation, for you are cultivating among ordinary people. Then, since you’re cultivating among ordinary people, we conform as much as possible to the way of ordinary people’s society in regards to dealing with material items or material possessions. But there’s one point to make: You are not the same as other people. Since you are cultivators your hearts and minds aren’t attached to those things. You can have a lot of money, a family, property—you can have lots of things. But you need to let go of the attachment to them. That’s your way of cultivation.

The total abandonment that we’re discussing here doesn’t mean you have to give up material things for it to count as letting go. On the contrary, if you give up every material thing but in your heart and mind you haven’t released them, if you’re reluctant to part with them, if you’re not able to sever them, or if you’re even thinking about them often and letting that affect your cultivation sometimes, then I’d say that’s not letting go but being forced to let go. So, superficially taking material items lightly is a formality. As I see it, the real reason one can ascend by way of cultivation is because the human heart and mind undergo a change. Only when a person’s heart and realm of thought have reached the standard has he truly ascended in cultivation. We take material things very lightly. It doesn’t matter whether you have them or not. What’s critical is whether you can let go of the attachment and whether you can elevate—that’s what is most crucial. Moreover, our entire cultivation form is arranged for cultivating among ordinary people, and this allows you to progress diligently while not having your gong regress. All of the arrangements, in every regard, conform to this form of cultivation that we have today. So when I first started to teach the Fa years ago, the gods were saying that this is a “Fa of High Virtue.” They felt that it is really good.

Question: Should the methods of spreading Dafa be adjusted to suit Europeans?

Teacher: It’s great for a cultivator who has obtained the Fa to have this aspiration and think about how to spread it and allow more people to learn it. Regardless of whether it’s in Europe or the East, no matter how you spread it, it will be hard for those who aren’t predestined to come learn it. Which people are “predestined”? I’ve discussed predestination before. Then how are we to find those who are predestined? Say you put an advertisement in the newspaper, searching, “Who is predestined?” That wouldn’t work. But there is one point everyone needs to be clear on. Probably every one of our students know inside that there are some people who will immediately feel struck or excited when you mention the words “Falun Gong” or “Zhuan Falun,” and those people instantly want to learn it. It’s quite likely those are predestined ones. Some people’s hearts aren’t moved no matter how you talk to them, and there’s a good chance they aren’t predestined.

So as for how to spread it and the methods of spreading it, actually, the best way is for our students to do the exercises in public areas so that those who are predestined can find them. Another is to have our Dafa books be available in the bookstores of various ethnicities and countries. I have countless Law Bodies who can instantly see who is predestined and who is supposed to obtain the Fa. If we have books in bookstores and our students are doing the exercises in parks, Law Bodies can find the predestined ones and bring them to look for this Fa. Some challenges will arise if we lack this type of environment. But no matter the method used, a predestined person will find the book and think it’s good when he reads it. Since he’s predestined he will definitely think it’s good and seek it out, and, since there are those of us doing the exercises in the parks, he’ll find us right away. Since the time I first started teaching the Fa a lot of people have obtained it that way. But there are still many people who heard about it from our students. They thought it was really good and told their family members to come learn it. If they felt that it wasn’t good, they definitely wouldn’t have told their family to come get duped. It was precisely because they felt it was good that they told their family members to come learn. Then their family felt it was good, and they told other friends and relatives to come learn. People are strongly impacted when students themselves talk about their personal experiences and how they feel. They wouldn’t lie to their own family members, nor would they lie to their friends. So their friends believe it. And if they then believe it, they’ll come learn it too, and they’ll have their own experiences. That’s how Dafa spreads.

But that said, there is a small number of people who obtained the Fa from seeing articles that our students placed in newspapers or magazines. I said yesterday that I don’t object to obtaining the Fa that way. But what problems might come up in this scenario? It’s that not only the highest type of men will come, but the lowest, too. So the people who come will have different goals and many different states of mind, and that is why some people practice for some time and then leave. They could well be among the lower type of men. Maybe they don’t want to obtain it, or they’re not supposed to obtain it. That’s often the case. And it’s a good thing for students to write articles themselves or put information in newspapers. I don’t object to that, since after all, it does help predestined people to come—superior people will see the newspaper and come. That’s why it can be effective. But there are only two mainstream methods: One is that we have books in bookstores and that we have practice sites, so Law Bodies can take people to find them; the other is Fa conferences and our students sharing their experiences with family. It’s mainly with these two methods that more people come, and their quality is high. As for adopting other methods, be they Eastern or Western, I think those are still the two main methods. People in many regions at the initial stage don’t yet have an understanding of Falun Gong, so we introduce it to people by writing articles in newspapers or magazines and such. Of course that too spreads the Fa, to be sure.

Question: I’m Caucasian. When you come across a test, do you take it or let it go?

Teacher: “When you…” That’s referring to me, right? There’s something I’d like to tell you all. It’s a very good question. I think it’s time to clarify something for everybody.

I can tell you that today, no matter how many people are practicing Dafa or how many students or disciples I have, you are all cultivators. Nobody is an exception. So you’re all cultivating. Whether you’re cultivating well or poorly, diligently or not, or your level is high or not, all of you have to hold yourselves to strict requirements as you cultivate and treat yourselves as cultivators. I, however, am not here to cultivate. You need to be clear on this distinction. I don’t have my own ordeals, nor do I have cultivation factors like yours. There’s a point I want to make: I’m taking you as my disciples, so I am offering you salvation, I’m saving and transforming you. So from this you can tell I’m different from you. You need to treat all of the troubles you encounter as cultivation, because they are definitely cultivation. But if trouble occurs for me, that’s a disruption and harming of Fa. Why should it be looked at that way? This cosmos is primordial. The purpose of my doing this is Fa-rectification. All of the cosmos’ beings have strayed from the Fa, so they have to be rectified with Fa. What I often say to you is that this is something one doesn’t come across even in thousands of years. To teach the Dafa of the whole cosmos in the human world, a Fa that even gods weren’t aware of before, that’s something which has never happened in all of creation.

Lives have become increasingly impure over endless historical ages, and everything is deviating. If it continues like this for long, even the most fundamental base of Zhen, Shan, Ren will deviate. That’s incredibly horrible. But I cherish the lives in the cosmos. I wish to preserve the original lives as much as possible and to avert the process of elimination. That wish came forth, and so I came. (Applause) Since I’ve come here, I come in a manner such that I’m bringing with me everything that is most original, most wonderful, and of the beginning of time—which is more perfect. You know that the Falun rotates. The Falun you see is just a superficial form of the Falun. It also has a Fa side that you can’t see. It’s constantly rotating and has an automatic repair mechanism, returning everything to its most original and optimum state. From the microscopic level to the surface, all matter and all lives are like this, with everything turning and in motion. I have created and restored all of this. What’s more, it’s continually perfecting and harmonizing. There’s no question of cultivation for me. In doing this undertaking, what I need to resolve is the obstructive effect of the evil forces that formed after the universe’s lives became impure. At the same time, there is the challenge presented to me by the karma created by all beings in human society. I often say that I know why Jesus was crucified by people, why Shakyamuni had to undergo Nirvana, and why Lao Zi hastily departed, leaving behind a book of five thousand words. Say a person came to the world and has reincarnated lifetime after lifetime. You have no idea how many lives and how many lifetimes you’ve been through. But in each and every lifetime you have accrued many debts to others and done much wrong. Some people came from various levels and have reincarnated onto this earth. They did wrong things as they were descending step by step, which is to say they’ve spent time in some high-level dimensions. Why couldn’t they remain in those dimensions? It’s because over there they again did bad things and descended further; they did bad things again and descended even further. So the debts accrued from doing wrong in the heavens were owed to gods.

The gods in the heavens won’t allow a human being to return to the heavens! Without a Master to teach you, without a master looking after you, you could never return no matter how great your abilities. After coming to the earth it’s forever impossible to return if you aren’t taken care of by the kind of master who truly saves people. That’s because even if you could really pay for the karma of the human world, you still couldn’t pay for what is owed in the heavens. Jesus wanted to save people and had great mercy, so he ignored all of that. He then had to undo those hard-to-undo karmic knots that were tied onto people. Yet in this universe there’s a law that states: “Those who don’t lose, don’t gain; to gain, you must lose; what is owed must be repaid.” That’s absolute, it’s an absolute and eternal law. Accordingly, if you release a person from it, who will pay for his debts? So those accounts or all of those debts naturally fell on Jesus. “You untied it for them, then you pay for it on their behalf.” All of the knots that couldn’t be undone, everything that was owed, and the things that those people being saved simply had no way to free themselves from, all of it was fastened onto Jesus since he was on the earth. There were karmic debts from all different levels; meaning, they weren’t only from here, among humans. What extent did it finally reach? The more people he saved, the more knots he carried. He simply had no way to free himself, nor did he have the energy to do those things. The knots couldn’t be untied. So in the end, Jesus saved those people, but his own human body couldn’t be freed. Jesus thus had no choice but to abandon this body to pay the karmic debts for them. A lot of lives’ karma as well as great hatred all landed on Jesus. “Alright, I will pay them for all believers.” He was crucified and died an agonizing death. All knots were bound to his flesh body, and with the death of his flesh body they were released. Jesus was freed the moment that body was cast off. That’s why Jesus had to be crucified, and why people say Jesus suffered for people. That’s the reason.

You’ve all seen that many people have come to learn this Fa. In the future there will be even more. You know, for you to cultivate, those things need to be done by the master. But I’m different from them, for whether it be Jesus or Shakyamuni, they are, after all, enlightened beings of a small scale. I’m not inside the cosmos, so I can resolve problems of the lives at different levels and in different cosmic bodies of the cosmos. I said that saving human beings isn’t my true goal, but they are one level of beings that’s included—they are a level of life that I wish to save. In fact, I myself don’t have any ordeals, I’m not cultivating. The troubles I encounter rarely manifest here on the ordinary human side, but there are those that do manifest here, and most of them aren’t known to you. The reason I can free myself from this problem is that I’m not within it. I won’t be like them, unable to disentangle myself. I can disentangle myself, but the difficulty is extremely great, it’s something none of you beings can imagine. I can give up to the greatest extent possible everything of mine, and that is why I can resolve all of it. (Applause)

By the way, let me further emphasize something related to the question that was just raised. There are often some students who accompany me, by my side, and in each region there are some people in charge—center coordinators or others in charge. You need to understand something: Everything you run into is about dealing with hardships. Yet you cannot represent Master. When it comes to any matter in which you know I’ve participated, you have to consider the matter from my perspective. That’s something you’ve neglected before. Troubles created for me are damage directed at this Fa. So it’s completely different from your passing through your hardships. It’s definitely not that your master is cultivating or that your master is passing tests. It really is damage directed at the Fa and the cosmos, so they can’t be equated. Be clear on this. When I handle problems, I treat them as real demons, but you cannot! Everything you encounter is directly related to your cultivation. So you always need to treat it as cultivation and find reasons inside yourself. These are completely different.

Question: It seems very hard for Europeans to enter tranquility. Why?

Teacher: Actually, it’s the same for Asians and Europeans. A person who can reach true tranquility while cultivating in ordinary people’s society is really at a high level. Since you have a job in the society of ordinary people and you have to attend to ordinary human affairs of every sort, so as you sit there, you don’t want to think about anything, but those things will affect your mind to the point that you think about them unwittingly. That’s why you can’t become tranquil. In cultivation we’re constantly improving ourselves and getting rid of attachments. As your attachments become less and less, you will find that you naturally become more and more serene, more and more serene. It reflects your level. It’s not realistic to expect that you reach tranquility right from the outset. No method can achieve that, except for cases where you have extremely special circumstances; such persons’ human sides are really weak and the other side is really strong. They’re in a state of being partly enlightened, partly not. Those are extremely special people who can achieve a certain degree of tranquility, and it mainly owes to their godly side taking effect, not their human side. Apart from cases like that, others can’t possibly on day one reach the point where they can become tranquil. So there is no difference for different races, it’s the same for Europeans and Asians.

Don’t be anxious if you can’t become tranquil. So long as your body is comfortable and relaxed when you do the exercises, just try your best to restrain yourself from thinking all over the place. If you really can’t stop your mind from wandering, then let it be, and treat those unbridled thoughts as someone else: “Go ahead and think. I’ll watch you think.” That’s also an approach. At least you can clearly distinguish that it’s not you, and that is really precious. Or, you restrain it and don’t let it think, in which case you’ve achieved what a cultivator is able to do. After the body is relaxed, one enters the optimum state for transformation and refinement. But what if your mind can’t calm down and you can’t achieve the best state for transformation and refinement? You know, our cultivation begins from the microscopic level, so the microscopic side of us is tranquil. Starting from there, as that side becomes increasingly tranquil and is cultivated better and better, what’s on the surface will be restrained and grow weaker all the time. The surface is worse [than before], but it’s weaker. That’s the relationship. A lot of you have cultivated for a long time and find that there are still bad thoughts in your minds. You can suppress them if you want to. That’s because even though they’re getting worse and worse, and more of them are surfacing, they’re getting weaker since they no longer have roots.

Question: How do we Western practitioners tell what’s right, and how should we lead our lives? Should we let things happen naturally?

Teacher: I’ll tell you what I think. Under different circumstances I’ve talked about letting things happen naturally. I haven’t told you to let things happen naturally with regard to everything. When you work in a company, your boss pays you. If you’re muddleheaded with your work, you let things happen naturally, and you don’t work hard, then you really don’t deserve the pay. We should be good persons wherever we are. I’m saying that “letting things happen naturally” should be applied according to the situation. In cultivation we follow the natural course of events, but we still have to make an effort to repress the bad side of ourselves and we still need to work hard at cultivation—doing otherwise is not called “letting things happen naturally.” This is in fact how all of you have been cultivating. We know well that in cultivation we are to actively cultivate ourselves, and that in our everyday lives we need to conform as much as possible to the ways of ordinary people’s society. So you have to separate your everyday human job from your cultivation—you definitely should draw a distinction between them. Work is work, and cultivation is cultivation. But there is one thing: Because you’re a cultivator, the high standards you hold yourself to will be reflected in your work, in society, at home, and in different social environments. In other words, you’re always a good person no matter where you are, and others will all say that you’re a good person. That’s how they go together. The idea of letting things happen naturally isn’t like what people said in the past, where a person would no longer care about anything and would just sit there as though he’d left the secular world; a person who did that was thought to be “letting things happen naturally.” That’s not how it is—that’s definitely not the idea.

If you encounter certain troubles, I think that as cultivators you have to first examine yourselves: “Is it because I myself didn’t do well in some regard?” If each of you cultivators can’t do this, you will have no way to make progress. So when any one of you encounters any troubles, you have to always examine yourself first: “Is it that I did something that wasn’t quite right?” I often talk about a principle: Everything in the universe is in harmony; if you do something wrong yourself, it will create a kink, a discordance with others, and everything around you will seem to be out of sorts. And interpersonal relations will become tense. At that point, look inside yourself for the reasons and correct your mistake. You will find that everything becomes harmonious and right again. I don’t think we should argue with others about things. If trouble really befalls you and it looks like somebody is wronging to you, I think it could well be that you, a cultivator, owed it from a previous lifetime. Endure it (ren) and let it go. Even an ordinary person knows that two people will leave upset after they have a clash; friction arises and the two get entangled. When the friction persists for a long time it will get increasingly harder to resolve, and in the end they’ll become enemies. But we are able to tolerate it, disregard it, and take a step back. In China there’s a saying, “Take a step back and you will find the sea vast and sky boundless.” If you keep on prodding and pushing ahead, you will find that there’s really no way out. But take a step back, let the attachment go and disregard it, and you’ll find that truly the sea is vast and the sky boundless—it’s a whole new world. That’s the way it is. That’s how it should be for a cultivator. If we argue and fight just like ordinary people and have a hand in clashes like they do, I’d say we’re just the same as ordinary people then. Isn’t that right? It is, in fact.

Question: How can we know our own level?

Teacher: Subjectively speaking, I’m extremely reluctant to let you know your level at the beginning. For a person to melt into such an immense Fa… I’ll give an example. It’s like if a wood chip or a piece of sawdust were to drop into a blast furnace of molten steel: instantly you’d lose sight of it. As you melted into such an immense Fa, your body’s karma, thought karma, and all kinds of things would be gone in an instant. If we were to do it entirely that way, it would be the same as your not having cultivated and it would be equivalent to my having re-created life. It wouldn’t count as you having cultivated. So we can’t do it that way. We need to have you cultivate yourselves and change yourselves. This Fa is immense. During the course of your cultivation, as long as you take yourself to be a cultivator, cultivate steadily and firmly, and keep reading the book, you will continually ascend and improve. Add to that our supplementary method—performing the exercises—and your rate of improvement is very fast. It’s the fastest way to cultivate.

If at the start I let you to know your level, you wouldn’t be able to handle yourself: “Whoa! I’m extraordinary! I’ve already gotten this far in cultivation!” Suppose I let you see the real changes that have occurred around your own body, think about it: Since you carry emotions, desires, and all kinds of attachments of ordinary people, wouldn’t your heart be swayed? I can’t let you know too soon, for your ordinary human thoughts are still quite strong. It’s because I want to ensure that you constantly elevate at the fastest speed in your cultivation. When a superior person hears the Dao, he will achieve Consummation simply by way of enlightening. That’s the most admirable. And it’s the most rapid—it really is the most rapid.

We have some disciples whose situations are different, so some people cultivate with their abilities unlocked and some are in a half-locked state. They can see, and some can even see quite clearly and know everything. Those are exceptional cases. Most people cultivate with their abilities locked. Just focus on reading the book and cultivating, and you will be constantly improving yourself and continually enlightening to heaven’s secrets. The laws and principles of the Fa are themselves enough to fill you with confidence. Of course, people in today’s society have been too deeply deluded by all kinds of false, so-called “realities” of the society of ordinary people, and they are too strongly attached. It’s just too hard for them to break out. They often struggle in choosing between the Fa and their attachments to self-interest. A person would even rather give up the Fa than give up his attachments. These things are hard to determine, as today’s society has come to this stage where people no longer know their true nature or the standards for human beings.

Bad as it is, however, it provides us with the best environment for cultivating. Isn’t it that the more complicated the environment, the more it can forge highly accomplished cultivators? That’s the principle. Many masters of qigong appeared in China a few years ago.